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The Mind Trap
|type = Main Quest |creatures = Dessicated Archer Dessicated Fire Mage Dessicated Warrior Yaghra Larva Yaghra Nightmare |dlc = Summerset }} The Mind Trap is a quest available in . It is the precursor to "The Queen's Decree" and only activates for new players. Background After the cave collapsed, I found myself in a strange ruin. A spectral image appeared before me, a woman named Oriandra. She says she wants to help me get out of this place. Quick walkthrough #Look Around #Move Toward Oriandra #Take the Sword #Equip the Forgotten Adventurer's Greatsword #Exit the ruin #Find Oriandra #Engage the Enemy #Block and Heavy Attack #Interrupt and Heavy Attack #Follow Oriandra #Jump off the Precipice #Reach the Tower #Examine the Abyssal Pearl #Defeat the Yaghra Nightmare #Destroy the Abyssal Pearl Walkthrough You will begin the quest facing a doorway in what seems to be the Eldbur Sanctuary. Within it, a ghostly character named Oriandra will begin speaking to you. She will say, "Can you hear me? My name is Oriandra. I'll help you get out of this place. You aren't frozen. You just think you are. You can move. You just need to remember how." Walk directly forward into the next room, toward the statue, and Oriandra will say, "Now remember your strength. Your power. Take a weapon. Feel the weight in your hand." Pick up the Forgotten Adventurer's Sword, open your inventory, and equip the blade (it may display as "Forgotten Adventurer's Greatsword"). Then, turn to your left and go through the doorway ahead. Oriandra will say, "Now go. Beyond the door. You need to see for yourself before I tell you more." The door will disintegrate, revealing a crumbling walkway veering to the left and a ghostly outline of the Ceporah Tower in the distance. Exiting the ruin will blur the edges of your field of view in a dreamlike manner; if you look up, you will also see that the sky is filled with large, pulsating structures resembling neurons. Follow the path downward until it widens; Oriandra will be waiting there for you. Around this area, you may also find several pieces of armor. Equip them to gain a defensive bonus in combat. Oriandra will go on to explain your situation: "You've been imprisoned in this mind trap by an entity called K'Tora. Its magic is powerful, but you're stronger than you know. It may appear beautiful, but it's an illusion. A trap designed to control you. K'Tora won't tolerate your resistance much longer." Immediately after, K'Tora's voice will echo all throughout, saying, "There is no escape. I will break you in time. Watch as I turn your own memories against you!," to which Oriandra will shout, "Defend yourself! In the mind trap, memories can kill you!" A humanoid warrior wielding two swords will appear farther down the path. Approach it, and it will become hostile; attack it with your greatsword, and it will die quickly. However, another warrior will appear, this time wielding a greatsword. Oriandra will say, "Another one! Defend yourself and strike back!" Press the block button to stop the warrior's attack from injuring you, and press and hold the attack button to launch a "heavy attack" of your own. Finally, a third warrior holding a staff will appear, at which point Oriandra will say, "A magic-user! Interrupt the spell and retaliate!" Press the attack and block buttons simultaneously to interrupt the warrior's attack, and then fight back with a heavy attack of your own. After defeating all of the enemy warriors, Oriandra will congratulate you and tell you what your next move is. Follow her further down the path to the ledge, and listen to what she has to say: "Well done! With every memory that returns, your resistance grows stronger. Now follow me! I can't go any farther in this form. If K'Tora notices me, we'll both be lost. You need to reach the tower to escape the mind trap. I can't go with you, but I'll send messages to guide you. Just believe in yourself and you can do this. You simply need to jump." Jump off of the cliff into the lake below. K'Tora's booming voice will say, "You can't escape my mind trap! I'll destroy you with your darkest fears!" Swim to the shore, where you will be greeted by one of several generic enemies, including Dessicated Archers, Dessicated Fire Mages, Dessicated Warriors, and Yaghra Larva. Kill them and move forward to the tower. Enter the gate titled "The Tower" when you get past all of the enemies. Once inside the tower, you will spot an Abyssal Pearl floating around a small whirlpool in the center of the room. Oriandra will say, "The pearl. It's the key to escaping this mind trap." Approach the pearl and examine it. Instantly, you will be blinded by a flash of light, and K'Tora will say, "Not so fast, little worm! Let's see how you fare against this nightmare!" A Yaghra Nightmare will appear in front of you. Use any of the weapons you have gathered so far to kill it. After you defeat the nightmare, Oriandra will say, "Well done! Now destroy the pearl and wake up." Approach the pearl a second time and press the button indicated to destroy it. After doing this, you will be transported to the Prisoner's Hold in Summerset. Oriandra will appear in a non-spectral form, saying, "Easy now. You did well." Talk to her, and she will reveal her membership in the Psijic Order and give additional details about what happened to you: "It gladdens my heart to see you awake and free, my friend. You're the first to respond to my help and escape from that entity's grasp." :Thanks for helping me, but who are you exactly? "I am Oriandra and I wear the cloak of the Psijic Order. I came to Summerset at the behest of our Ritemaster when I sensed a dark and powerful mind magic emanating from this area. When I noticed your predicament, I knew I had to intercede." ::If I can ever repay you for your help, let me know. "Take a moment to rest, but once you've shaken off any residual effects of the spell I might require your assistance. And take this. I assume it belongs to you. It was near your unconscious body when I found you." ::What's the Psijic Order? "The Psijic Order is an ancient society of mages, more akin to a monastic order than to the upstart Mages Guild, for example. We once served as advisors to the rulers of Tamriel, before we departed the world to pursue other interests." :::What does that mean, you departed the world? "It means just that. We took our island of Artaeum and sent it someplace else to better promote meditative study and contemplation. We maintain an interest in Tamriel, though, hence my appearance here during your time of need." ::::Tell me more about the mind trap. "I haven't isolated the source of the mind magic, except that the malevolent entity calls itself K'Tora. It imprisoned you in the mind trap in order to control you, but to what purpose I'm not sure." :::::Who or what is K'Tora? "I have no idea. Whoever or whatever K'Tora is, it wields powerful mind magic. Much more powerful than anything I've ever encountered before. The mind trap is an insidious spell that has ensorcelled a number of victims. I'm still watching over them." ::::::Other victims? "You weren't the only newcomer to wander into this mind trap. Even a number of High Elves have succumbed to the dark entity's power. With my help, though, you were the first to break free. That gives me hope that I can eventually save the others." :::::::If it was all in my mind, how come I still have the items I found there? "You noticed that, did you? Very observant! The mind trap created replicas of items you already possessed. You needed them, so they became real inside the illusion. And of course you'd still have them in the waking world. They are real, after all." If you exit the dialogue box before pressing the "Complete Quest" button and speak to Oriandra again, the following conversation will occur, allowing you to finish it: "With my help, you were able to extract yourself from K'Tora's mind trap. I just hope that the techniques I used to assist you will work on the others." :Thanks for helping me. If there's a way I can repay you, let me know. "I must return to the Eldbur Ruins to the north and aid the others caught in K'Tora's mind trap. If you find yourself in the area, you might be able to assist me. Stay safe and remember you have a friend in the Psijic Order!" ::Before you go, tell me more about the Psijic Order. ::Could you tell me more about the mind trap before you go? If either of the final two dialogue options are chosen, Oriandra will simply say the lines that she would have said initially, had you chosen to ask her about the Psijic Order prior to completing the quest. To exit Prisoner's Hold, simply walk to the gate to your right and activate it. Outside, the city of Shimmerene may be found in the distance. A frightened Altmer named Calibar will quickly approach you, shouting about a recent attack by strange creatures. Speak to him to begin the next quest in the main questline, "The Queen's Decree." Reward *Forgotten Adventurer's Strong Box *1 Skill Point *Soul Magic skill line unlocked *73–302 Journal Category:Summerset: Main Quests